Scarlet Ortiz, a desperate housewife who turned her frown upside downAs the season finale of Amas de casa desesperadas approaches, actress Scarlet Ortiz, who plays Susana in the series, told peopleenespanol.com that her role was initially challenging because she'd never dabbled in comedy before.

The vivacious Venezuelen native, who launched her career after participating in Miss Venezuela, ensures that she's prepared for any risks that may come her way as she dreams of transitioning to the big screen even if it means taking it all off.

Aside from taping Amas de casa desesperadas, what else are you up to?Well, for now, I'm still enjoying my vacation time –spending time at home, catching up on sleep, eating– and even though I'm not working on a specific project, there have been some offers made, so I'm waiting to see what comes of them.

What was it like to become a desperate housewife?The experience was really wonderful. It was so enriching on a personal and professional level because I had never worked on a series, and I'd never played a comedic role before. That was a huge risk for me because I was used to crying more instead of laughing onscreen, and it's much easier for me to cry. But I really dove into the character and ended up having fun, and making others laugh as well, which is something I never would've imagined I could accomplish.

So do you cry a lot in real life, or is it only for the cameras?Well, I cry a lot in real life too, but not only when I'm sad. I'm really sentimental, so I cry over anything whether I'm happy or emotional, or when I'm surprised. I'm the kind of girl who sheds a tear for whatever absurd little nonsensical thing or anything that's remotely romantic.

And where does that leave your smile?I also love to laugh a lot, but there's little room for it in telenovelas because the women tend to suffer more, and, for example, in the role of Susana Martínez, it was difficult for me to switch to comedy because she's incredibly clumsy and flighty and her behavior draws a lot of laughs. The best thing is that I feel like I did a good job, and I even laughed with the character, and believe I succeeded in embodying the role.

What kinds of roles would you like to play now?As an actress, I'm not closed off to any opportunities and I'm prepared to take on any role that comes my way, but I'd especially like to star in films. That's a door that I haven't knocked on yet, and I'm waiting to see what comes of it, even though I'm still uncertain about roles in movies that require nudity. It's a difficult barrier for me to cross because I was raised a modest girl, and in Amas de casa desesperadas, during one particular scene I came close to it –I used a nude color bikin–, but it was still difficult for me to shoot scene.

What would you say to a director who wanted to cast you in a major film that required you to be nude?I would have to think about it a lot and talk to the director to see how he or she had in mind for the nudity, and perhaps we could compromise on something that would ultimately make us both happy maybe something where the better part is left up to the imagination.

Did you always know you were going to be an actress and end up where you are now?No, I never imagined it. I thought I was going to be a veterinarian, and then I started studying sociology. But because I was so shy and timid, my parents enrolled me in a modeling course, and from there I entered the Miss Venezuela contest, where I gained a lot of experience. It served me well, but I didn't even come close to winning. Yet, from there on out, I started getting calls and offers, and well, here I am.